


beautiful little fool

by narcissacronin



Category: Renegades - Marissa Meyer
Genre: (though you may recognize it as being from the great gatsby), Gen, title is from a zelda sayre-fitzgerald quote
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-07
Updated: 2020-04-18
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:27:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,579
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23043232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/narcissacronin/pseuds/narcissacronin
Summary: Set in the backdrop of 1926, Gatlon city is overflowing with underground businesses and crime rates are on the rise. Nova Artino is the owner of a rather successful speakeasy, working with her close friend Narcissa Cronin. Adrian Everhart is the son of the chief of police and the mayor of Gatlon, and works closely with his friend and partner Danna Bell. Meanwhile in other parts of the city, Ruby Tucker is trying to make a name for herself as a silent film star as her partner, Oscar Silva, works as a pianist on film sets. Eventually, their paths cross and some unlikely relationships start to bloom.this fic is currently on hiatus and i have no idea when/if i'll ever get back to it!!!
Relationships: Adrian Everhart | Sketch & Danna Bell | Monarch, Oscar Silva | Smokescreen/Ruby Tucker | Red Assassin
Comments: 3
Kudos: 24





	1. the supernova

Alcohol ran through the streets of Gatlon, mixing with the tears of those who lived there. It ran through the veins of those who ran it, got under the skin of those who fought to stop it. Wherever you looked in the broad city, you would find evidence of it. And at the center of it all was none other than Alec Artino.

After returning home from the Great War with nothing but the clothes on his back, he was desperate for money. He started back-alley dealings and it wasn’t long until his name became synonymous with crime in the slums of Gatlon. When prohibition rolled around, he started to run rum and soon found a fortune in that too. To this day, he had only ever been caught once and that had been in his earlier years. He was still in the business of bootlegging though it was not quite as prosperous as it had been in the beginning, especially with rumors swirling that the government was poisoning the alcohol. As of now, he only had a few customers that he could he regularly rely upon.

His younger brother, David Artino, hadn’t gotten off much better after the war, though he found a more... _ viable _ career selling jewelry and antiques. While it didn’t make him nearly as much as his brother, it was still enough to provide for himself and his family so that they were able to live comfortably. Although his safer way of life didn’t protect or save him and his family from tragedy or that fatal car crash.

Nova Artino was fourteen when she lost her family. To this day, she still carried the trauma from it. Out of her parents and little sister, she was the only one to survive despite the odds. It was as if by some miracle. Well, at least that’s what the doctors and police told her, though Nova felt as if it were rather a stroke of bad luck. Not long after, she was taken in by her uncle and soon thrust into the underground world of Gatlon.

By the age of sixteen, she had a deep comprehension of Gatlon’s inner workings, something that most citizens didn’t seem to quite understand. While her uncle dealt with some of his more unsavory business, she would usually stay with his colleagues Honey Harper and Leroy Flinn. Although she tended to prefer it that way and, eventually, Leroy became more of an uncle to her than Alec ever was.

By the age of eighteen, she was given ownership of Honey’s speakeasy and renamed it  _ The Supernova _ . Business boomed, though with business, came suspicion. Countless times had Nova found herself worrying that the police would uncover her operation.

The Supernova was hidden in the basement of an apothecary owned by Leroy. Above the store was an apartment just barely big enough for Nova, Leroy, and Honey, although after Honey retired and moved West, the space seemed a little less cramped. Though Nova found herself spending less and less time in her little, lonely room, instead working down in the speakeasy until dawn.

Something about the tap of shoes on the wooden floorboards and clinking of glasses brought a strange sense of relaxation about her, allowing her to forget about the horrors and injustices in the world if only for a few hours. The Supernova was like a home to Nova. There, she was no longer Nova Artino: she was just another nameless soul passing through; another face to be forgotten once the drunken haze faded.

Which was how Nova found herself sitting at the bar on another sleepless night, an easy smile on her lips as she watched a couple dance the Baltimore. By her guess, they both looked to be around eighteen—the same age as herself.

“What’s on your mind?” asked Narcissa, standing on the other side of the bar. She was Nova’s closest friend, having known each other since childhood. Nova had only just hired her recently, after finding out that Narcissa was in need of a job after the loss of her grandfather.

“Oh you know, the usual,” Nova replied absentmindedly, gaze lingering on the couple. She started to fuss with the bracelet at her wrist, twisting the delicate filigree back and forth. It was one that her father had given her only a few days before the crash and now she rarely took it off.

Narcissa came around from behind the bar and sat in the chair next to Nova, setting a hand on her shoulder. “Are you sure? You’ve been acting a bit strange lately. If anything’s up, just know I’m here to talk.”

“I assure you I’m fine. Thank you, though. I really do appreciate it.”

Narcissa nodded, then waited a few seconds before returning to her spot behind the bar. With one last glance in Narcissa’s direction, Nova stood and started to walk along the edge of the dance floor. Tonight was a rather slow night and there weren’t as many people there as there normally was, though it still wasn’t empty by any means.

Nova leaned against the wall and shut her eyes, crossing her arms over her chest. Her foot started to tap to the beat of the music. Once the song had ended, she reluctantly opened her eyes and started to move away from the wall. She could feel Narcissa staring at her from the bar, though Nova ignored her and made her way over to where one of the regulars was sitting.

Plastering a smile to her lips, she greeted them and asked if it was okay if she sat at their table. They nodded and Nova took a seat, smoothing the fabric of her dress over her knees.

“So,” began Nova, “how is everything with you, Miss Millie? It’s been a while since I’ve seen you here.”

“All is well, I’ve just been busy,” answered Millie. “And what about yourself, Miss Artino?”

“Oh, everything’s swell.” Nova smiled, hoping her words didn’t ring as sarcastic. “And you know it’s Nova to you. No need for such formalities.” 

Millie smiled at her. “If you insist.”

They continued to talk for a few minutes before Millie announced that she ought to be leaving before it got too late. They bid each other adieu and then, just like that, Nova was left alone again.

She made her way back over to the bar, catching a glimpse of the couple from before out of the corner of her eye. They were sitting down now, laughing over something that was just between the two of them. The ghost of a smile tugged at Nova’s lips at the sight.

“Hey, Narcissa?” she said as she got closer to the bar. “I’m feeling a little run-down and am going to go rest for a bit. Do you think you can handle everything?”

Narcissa nodded and gave Nova her well wishes. With a whispered, “thank you,” Nova parted and slipped upstairs to her room. She quickly undressed and put on some pajamas. Deftly, she removed the pins from her hair before collapsing onto her bed.

Though she was exhausted, it took what felt like hours for her to eventually fall asleep. And even when she did, her sleep was restless and plagued with nightmares.


	2. breaking curfew

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is still more of a background chapter, as will be the next one, though the fourth part ought to include more story (hopefully)

Adrian Everhart leaned against the front door, a frown crossing his lips. In front of him stood his fathers; Hugh Everhart wore a disappointed expression and Simon Westwood sighed.

“Adrian,” began Hugh, the slightest hint of anger in his tone, “we’ve talked about this before. You know that you’re not to be out with Danna past eight o’clock—it just isn’t proper for two young people of your age and standing. And might I remind you that your curfew is at nine.”

Adrian had to refrain from rolling his eyes. He had heard this speech countless times before and each time, he listened to it a little less. Of course, he knew it wasn’t proper, but where was the fun in that? A while ago Adrian had decided he’d much rather be shamed by some of the elites of society than submit himself to their strict morals.

“You can’t keep doing this,” added Simon. “You have to think of your father and I’s reputation too. How would it look if the son of Gatlon’s mayor and the chief of police were to be caught roaming the city doing whatever it is that you do?”

Adrian scoffed and considered saying,  _ Damn your reputation _ , though he knew it would only worsen his current situation. They had already taken away his car and was scared about what might come next. A new lock on the front door? Bars on his bedroom window? He shuddered at the thought. While he knew his dads loved him, they could be a tad overbearing sometimes. For God’s sake, he was nearly eighteen years old—there was no need for them to have so many rules hanging over him. Surely, he was old enough to know what was best for himself.

When Adrian was only six years old, he had lost his mother. Though around twelve years had passed, her murder was still just as much a mystery today as it was back then. Not long after her death, Hugh and Simon took Adrian in and “officially” adopted him, though the situation was a bit confusing legally. Hugh and Simon’s marriage was not recognized by law and thus caused the legal mess that was his guardianship.

A few minutes passed in uncomfortable silence before Adrian finally relented. “Dad, Pops,” he began, “I would like to apologize for my behavior tonight. It was irresponsible and I’ll try my best to not repeat it in the future.”

“I certainly hope so, Adrian. It’s about time you started taking responsibility for your actions,” replied Hugh. “I expect this kind of behavior from your younger brother, not you.”

“Which, speaking of,” said Simon, “I really wish you would set a better example for Max. He looks up to you, you know.”

Adrian nodded. “I know, I know. As I said, it won’t happen again.”

Hugh wore a skeptical expression though neither he nor Simon pressed the issue further. Instead, they bid Adrian good night and retreated upstairs to their bedroom.

Once they were gone, Adrian let out a sigh of relief and shed his jacket, hanging it in the closet before heading upstairs himself. He took a seat at his desk and turned on the lamp. After finding a loose piece of paper, he reached for his pen and set it to the paper. He jotted down a short note before slipping it in between the pages of a book sitting on his desk. In the morning, he’d see if Danna could deliver it to Ruby.

Standing, he stretched his arms over his head and yawned. Adrian quickly changed into a set of pajamas and slipped between the covers of his bed. Within minutes, he was sound asleep.

* * *

Danna Bell glanced around the street, quickly turning the corner. She nearly burst into a sprint when she caught sight of her home. The streets were dully lit with street lamps, making it a bit hard to see the sidewalk. Though she was relieved to see that all of the windows in her home were dark. Slowly, her worries started to dissipate.

Danna’s father was a very strict man. He had a long ruleset for her, most of which she had broken one a many times before. And although she was very careful to cover her tracks, she still worried. If her father were to find out about what she did, she knew he would ban her from spending time with Adrian — at least without a chaperone. Her father was of old-fashioned mindset, and it certainly reflected in his rules. He always claimed that her mother had raised her to be a proper lady and he expected her to act as such.

Take tonight for example, she and Adrian had snuck out to see a showing of a film. Their friend, Ruby, had a role in it, albeit it a small one. The showing had started just a little while before her curfew and ended well after. Rather than asking permission, she had waited until her father was asleep before sneaking out. Truly, she and Adrian hadn’t planned on staying out quite so late as they did, but Ruby also invited them to have dinner afterward. Time flew by and all of them had lost track of time, resulting in quick departures once they realized the time.

Danna slowly moved toward the side of the house and found her window, having made sure it was unlocked before she left. Carefully, she pulled herself up off of the ground and slipped through the window. Once she was back to standing on two feet, she shut the window and locked it with a muffled  _ click _ .

She stilled for a few seconds, panic coursing through her, and waited to hear the sound of her father’s heavy footsteps coming down the hall. But a few minutes passed and the house was silent. Letting out a small sigh of relief, she moved further into her room, careful to avoid the creaky floorboards.

Danna moved quickly as she shed her clothing, leaving only her camisole and knickers on. She slipped between the covers of her bed and forced her eyes shut. Though she was exhausted, she ended up laying for what felt like hours, worrying, before sleep finally overcame her.


	3. the piano player

Ruby Tucker lingered behind Oscar Silva, eyeing the piano music in front of him warily. He continued playing, seemingly oblivious to her presence.

She had already finished shooting all of her scenes for the day and was about to head home, though she wanted to say goodbye to him first. Nearly two weeks ago they had officially started dating, but well before then the two had regularly flirted with each other. Truthfully, it had only been a matter of time before they started to get serious.

In the past, Oscar had worked on the set of many films Ruby was in, although her roles were always as an extra or secondary character. His job was to play piano on set and also at many of the film premieres. Almost instantly she had been enamored by him, intrigued by his sense of confidence.

One day after building up her own confidence, she eventually managed to walk over to him and introduce herself. They hit it off almost immediately and it wasn’t long until flirtations ensued.

At one point, Ruby felt like those very same flirtations would never end, and part of her was scared that they would never be any more than just friends. Then a few days later he ended up asking her out on a date and any doubts she had dissipated.

Oscar turned to face her, an easy smile on his lips. “Is there something you need?” he asked.

She shook her head, a small smile gracing her lips. “I just wanted to say ’bye before I left for the day.”

He nodded and moved over on the piano bench, making space for her, and gestured for her to sit down. She hesitated a second before taking a seat. Though the bench was small, she was still careful to make sure there was about an inch of space between them for the sake of propriety.

Oscar soon started to play again. Ruby’s gaze fell to his hands. She watched as he started to play faster, fingers moving across the keys ever so skillfully. After a few seconds, she was able to recognize the song he was playing as some popular show tune, though the title escaped her.

“Do you play?” he asked mid-way through the song, gaze briefly landing on her before settling back on the piano.

“No, though I’ve always wished to.” From a rather young age, she had longed to learn how to play various instruments but her family didn’t have the resources for music lessons—which is partially what led her to take up dancing and acting instead.

The notes slowly started to fade out and, finally, he turned his attention back towards her. “Well, I could try teaching you. If you want me to, of course.” The easy smile had returned to his lips. “How long do you have until you need to leave?”

Ruby thought his offer over for a few seconds, fighting back a grin, before finally saying, “I think I’d like that, thank you. And I should be able to hang around for a little while more, why?”

“Well, I figured we could start now, if you’re alright with that.”

“Sounds wonderful.”

Oscar nodded then turned his attention back to the piano and picked up the song again, playing a bit slower this time.

“Let’s start with the notes,” he said. The song dissolved once more and he started playing the keys one by one, naming each of the notes. “Do you know how to read music?”

“Yes. Well, decently at least.”

Oscar nodded again. He went over the basics and played a scale for her. “Now, why don’t you try to play the same scale and I’ll guide you.”

She set her right hand on the piano and started to repeat what she had seen him play. With each note, he said the letter out loud. After that, he showed her another set of notes and she mimicked it. They continued this for a bit, each set getting slightly more complicated.

Eventually, she couldn’t follow anymore and he had to show her the notes again. When she failed to play them a second time, he told her to play what she remembered of it and gently helped to guide her to the right notes. She tried to keep focused on the keys and the notes though they soon became a jumbled mess in her mind. Each time his fingers brushed against hers, she would lose the few remnants of focus she had had before and was forced to restart. But finally, she seemed to get it.

“I think I’ve had enough of the piano for today,” Ruby said, finally. “Thank you, Oscar. I really appreciate this, it’s been a lot of fun.”

He dashed a grin at her, leaning ever so close. “Of course. If you want, we can continue this next time you’re on set.” His eyes briefly drifted to her lips before meeting her stare.

“I’d like that very much.” She held his gaze for all of half a second before swiftly standing up and taking a few steps away from the piano. A blush stained her cheeks as she turned on her heel and made to exit the film set, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste. She threw a “goodbye” over her shoulder but didn’t wait to hear his reply.

* * *

Ruby released a sigh as she leaned against the door of her apartment, grateful to finally be home. Well,  _ home _ was a bit of a stretch. The apartment was small and in poor condition on the lesser side of town. It had few furnishings, mainly limited to the necessities. But it was cheap and left her with a little bit of money left each month after paying rent—which was usually added to her savings. And it was infinitely better than living with her family. While she loved them, the house was crowded enough with her two brothers, parents, and grandmother all living under the same roof.

Ruby stepped into her apartment and shed her jacket. She threw it and her cloche hat onto the old loveseat sofa, then found something to eat from the near-bare cabinets. Once she had finished her dinner, she decided to pick up the novel she had started last night by some Fitzgerald fellow. It wasn’t long until she felt her eyes start to droop shut and finally resolved to set the book down and go to bed.

Standing up, she stretched her arms over her head with a yawn. She shed her skirt before unbuttoning her shirt. She folded both up and draped them over the back of the loveseat. After brushing out her hair, she finished undressing and pulled on her nightgown. Yawning once more, she slid in between her bedsheets and shut her eyes, asleep instantly.


	4. starry-eyed

Adrian followed behind Ruby as she led him and Danna into the speakeasy. Adrian stared at the space with wide-eyes as they made their way down the spiral staircase, trying to take in as many details as possible. The space was rather small, most of it taken up by the dance floor. Tables lined the edges of it. Against the back wall was a bar with a handful of stools in front of it, most of which were occupied. The smell of smoke lingered in the air, the scent only getting stronger as they approached the bottom steps.

Danna leaned towards Adrian and whispered, “Try not to be a pretentious jackass. I know your fathers might be two of the most prominent people in the city, but nobody here knows that or cares.”

Adrian scoffed. “When do I ever act like that?” he responded, tone defensive.

“More than you think.” Danna patted him on the shoulder, giving a slight shake of her head.

They fell silent once they reached the floor, picking up their pace to catch up with Ruby. She was already moving towards a table where a man, who Adrian vaguely recognized, sat. She introduced the man, claiming him to be her beau, and Adrian and Danna shook his hand. Ruby gestured for them to sit down before claiming the remaining seat for herself. They started discussing the film from the other night and suddenly that’s when it clicked in Adrian’s mind: He had seen Oscar at the premiere last week.

Danna kept looking around the room, though her gaze always ended up landing on the bar — well, more specifically a girl sitting at the bar. As the conversation started to die, Danna offered to go get drinks and quickly stood, pulling Adrian along with her. He started to protest but sighed and went along with it.

“What are you doing?” he asked once they were out of earshot of Ruby and Oscar, his words coming out in a rush.

“Giving them some alone time, obviously,” she said, subtly nodding her head in Oscar and Ruby’s direction.

Adrian raised an eyebrow at her. Something about her expression told him there was another reason, though he didn’t press the issue further. He’d known Danna long enough to know there was no use.

Danna sat down on one of the empty stools, placing an arm on the edge of the bartop, and leaned against it. Adrian sat down on the stool next to her, though she didn’t acknowledge him, her gaze focused on something else. He followed her stare to where the girl sat at the other end, talking to the bartender. He refrained from rolling his eyes—Danna was never one for subtlety.

Adrian watched with barely concealed amusement as Danna sat up straighter, her gaze still locked on the girl, who had just stood up. Her long braid of red hair shone from the overhead lights as she walked past Adrian and Danna, and disappeared into the crowd. As soon as the girl was out of sight, Danna shot a glare at Adrian. He lifted both of his hands as if to prove innocence and shrugged.

Rolling her eyes, she turned her attention away from him and onto the bartender, who now stood in front of them. They ordered their drinks—as well as Oscar and Ruby’s—and once he had left, Adrian turned to face Danna.

“It seems as though someone’s caught your eye,” he said, tone teasing. “I—” Danna kicked his leg from under the bar, cutting his sentence short, and shot a withering look his way, though the look didn’t last long for the bartender shortly returned with their drinks.

Adrian and Danna grabbed the drinks and made their way back to the table where Oscar and Ruby still sat, seemingly deep in conversation. Neither acknowledged Danna and Adrian besides thanking them for the drinks, caught up in their own little world.

Not wanting to cut into their conversation, Adrian turned to Danna and opened his mouth to speak only for Danna to shake her head.

“If what you’re about to say regards the girl, please don’t,” said Danna, taking a long sip of her drink.

He shut his mouth and frowned at her, feigning offense. She only rolled her eyes at him.

Eventually, Oscar and Ruby left their bubble and changed the subject. Ruby went on to tell some anecdote from on set and every so often Oscar would throw in a comment or two. At some point, Danna ended up finishing her drink and left to get a refill, though it was of note that the girl from earlier had returned to her seat at the bar.

Adrian listened intently to Ruby at first, though eventually his attention started to wane. He soon found his gaze drawn to a girl who was making her way down the spiral staircase. He tried his damnedest to keep his focus on Ruby, but always found his eyes wandering back over to the girl. Something about her grabbed his attention and wouldn’t let go, though he couldn’t quite place  _ what _ . Maybe it was her looks, maybe it was the way she carried herself. Whatever it was, interested him immensely.

Despite her short stature, she seemed to have this air of confidence about her which both intrigued and intimidated him. He was able to get a better look at her as she made her way over to the bar. She had sharp features and rich blue eyes, which were illuminated beautifully by the lighting in the speakeasy. Her pale green and white flowered dress, which fell just below her knees, was a stark contrast to her tan skin. A half-smile formed on her lips as she approached the bar, taking a seat next to Danna’s mystery girl.

He was finally able to pull his gaze away and focused it on his drink, swirling the contents of the glass. He only half-listened as Oscar and Ruby spoke, his mind still stuck on the girl. Eventually, he found his gaze wandering back over to her and this time, he couldn’t pull it away. She was talking with the bartender, seemingly in deep conversation. For a brief second, Adrian wondered if maybe she was a regular here.

Suddenly, she turned and stood, eyes briefly meeting his. He quickly looked away and busied himself with finishing off his drink, no doubt blushing. He waited until she had moved away from the bar before standing and making his way over to Danna.

Danna acknowledged him with a small nod of her head as he sat down in the seat next to her.

A few seconds later, Danna said, “Oh, how the tables have turned0”.

He raised an eyebrow at her, feigning confusion.

She sighed deeply and he could tell she was refraining from rolling her eyes again. “Don’t pretend like you weren’t ogling that girl over there. I saw you.”

He gaped at her, but before he could form a response, she downed the rest of her drink and stood, making her way back over to the table.


End file.
